KENYA TRADE NETWORK AGENCY (KENTRADE)

Simplifying Trade Processes For Kenyas Competitiveness

OPENING SPEECH BY MR ALEX KABUGA DURING THE DEVELOPMENT OF

STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES (SOPS) WORKSHOP BY PARTNER

GOVERNMENT AGENCIES ON MARCH 10, 2014 AT LAKE NAIVASHA

COUNTY CLUB, NAIVASHA

Distinguished participants

Ladies and Gentlemen

Good Morning!

It gives me great pleasure to welcome all of you this morning to the

STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES (SOPS) WORKSHOP jointly

organized by KenTrade and International Finance Corporation (IFC). The

objective of the workshop is to develop SOPs for the Partner Government

Agencies (PGAs) for the Kenya TradeNet System.

Let me first take this opportunity to express our sincere gratitude to you for

finding time out of your busy schedule and to turn up for this workshop. This

is a clear indication of the importance that you attach to the implementation

of the Kenya TradeNet System and your relationship with KenTrade.

As you are no doubt aware, the Kenya TradeNet System was officially

launched by President Paul Kagame of Rwanda in the presence of H.E

President Uhuru Kenyatta and other regional leaders. This was after 2 years

of a series of sensitization workshop, training on how to use System, Business

process re engineering of which many of you here with us today were part

of. To this end, we are sincerely grateful to each one of you and those who may

have not made it to this particular workshop for your tireless effort and

support that has made KenTrade to reach this far.

You may also be aware that implementation of the Kenya TradeNet System

has adopted a phased approached based on specific modules used by various

stakeholders. I am happy to inform you that currently the following modules

are live in the System: Impending Arrival Report , Manifest Import Declaration

Form, Payment Gateway and Permits issued by the following Fifteen Partner

Government Agencies involved in Phase 1 and 2 namely:

1. Kenya Revenue Authority

2. Kenya Bureau of Standards

3. Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Services

4. Pharmacy and Poisons Board

5. Port Health

6. Department of Veterinary Services

7. Horticultural Crops Development Authority Kenya Wildlife Service

8. Kenya Dairy Board

9. Kenya Sugar Board

10. Coffee Board Kenya

11. National Bio-Safety Authority

12. Pest Control & Produce Board

13. Mining & Geological Department

14. Radiation & Protection Board

I am aware that you have been working hard to train and configure the Kenya TradeNet System in line with your organizations procedures and requirements for the last few months and that the following Partner Government Agencies are now ready to commence piloting of the System:

1. Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Authority - Tea Directorate

2. Central Firearms Bureau

3. Nursing Council of Kenya

4. Anti-Counterfeit Agency

5. Kenya National Police Service

6. Kenya National Chamber of Commerce & Industry

7. Ethics and Anti-Corruption Authority

8. NEMA

9. OGEFREM

10. Kenya Medical Laboratory Technicians and Technologists Board

One of the key components of operationalization of any System is the

development and use of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). SOPs assist

users to efficiently operate the System. Prior to roll out of the Phase 1A

modules, stakeholders developed and approved SOPs for the System.

Today you are gathered here to carry out this very critical exercise of

developing SOPs for use by the end users in your organizations. May I take

this opportunity to remind you that the success of the roll out of the System in

your organizations depends entire on your individual contribution (As a

subject expert) and that; stakeholders will entirely depend on you for

guidance. Please put your best foot forward as you undertake this critical

exercise.

Please remember that implementation of the Kenya TradeNet System is at a

critical stage that requires total involvement of our stakeholders. To this end,

with support that we received from the International Finance Corporation

(IFC), we have embarked on developing SOPs that will ensure that our

stakeholders fully understand the operation of the System.

Today's workshop has therefore been designed specifically to enable you to

come up with SOPs for PGAs in Phase 3 of the System.

As I conclude ladies and gentlemen, I urge you to be open, contribute your

views positively and work with your colleagues to come up with a document

that will spearhead the roll out of Kenya TradeNet System in the next phase.

Finally, I wish to thank the International Finance Corporation for sponsoring

this workshop and your Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) for releasing you to

participate in this workshop.

I thank you and may God Bless you all.